


Unforgettable

by The_Magic_Lava_Lamp



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 20:10:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19837666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Magic_Lava_Lamp/pseuds/The_Magic_Lava_Lamp
Summary: That was the thing between them lately. Sure, they’d gone from enemies to tolerating each other before the snap. But after the snap...they’d come back with more than just a death date. They came back with a connection. Sam figured all those who’d gone were feeling some type of shared trauma connection so he’d written it off. But he and Bucky just...moved differently these days.





	Unforgettable

It was a tough day. Time had been passing incredibly fast yet so achingly slow in Sam’s opinion. His suit was starting to feel heavier than his wings and the tie that wrapped around his neck was far too tight no matter how many times he’d loosen the damn thing. Maybe it was becoming a nervous tick because the next time he reached up for it, Bucky slowly raised his own hand and blocked him. 

The setting sun, as it seemed, had nothing better to do than to glaze it's vivid gold beams onto their shoulders. It was adding uncomfortable sweating to the long list of things Sam was hating about the day. The lake in front of them was beautiful and offered some kind of somber peace but that was honestly the best it could do. 

Friends were dead & gone and that was a pain that Sam could never get used to. God, if he could’ve just had a single last moment with Natasha before...He dissolved into thin fucking air and came back with a 2018 death date. Five years gone and he woke up to the scariest shit he’d ever face. Much bigger than The Avengers and he hadn’t even known that one of his own was gone. 

He had tried to join in on the out-look that today was a celebration of Tony’s life but could not bring himself to celebrate sacrifices that shouldn’t have had to happen in the first place. Rhodey looked just about torn to pieces when they’d had a small conversation at arrival, Wanda couldn’t stop anxiously scraping her nails into Clint’s arm (not that he tired to stop her), and the look on the Parker kid’s face was enough to kill any sign of joy. They’d lost some pretty amazing people. 

There was another man to think about. Steve, who’d nearly given Sam a fucking heart-attack by not showing back up on the platform, was nothing short of a stranger now. He’d gone and lived an entire life without them and came back with the most touching yet horrifying gift in the entire world. Sam wasn't sure how he could feel so abandoned yet so appreciated but in that moment, it was overwhelming. 

Sam buried his face into the crook of his hand and willed himself not to puke just from pure stress. With his stomach turning just the same as it did the days he’d try to keep up with Steve’s super-solider speed, he turned to his friend. Bucky had surprisingly large doe-eyes that were reflecting the sun-set perfectly, glittering orange hues swam in the pools of blue. 

The shield laid behind them on the bed of Clint’s truck and he tried not to look at it. Life was changing and he didn’t want to acknowledge the new responsibilities that came with it yet. He’d just got done taking on the world and he needed a minute or two before he took on his reckless superhero thoughts again.

“So, what the hell do we do now?” He sighed, slouching a little as he rested his arm on the side of the truck. Beside him, Bucky shifted and folded his hands into his lap. 

They made brief eye contact and it wasn’t shocking to either of them just how exhausted they looked. They looked like the dead and he supposed they had their excuses for that. 

Bucky rolled his lips together and shrugged. “We could go dancing?” 

It was a question that hung in the air for a few seconds. His voice had been softer than Sam had ever heard it and he’d asked with such a casual tone that it almost sounded logical. So he repeated it with fascination “Dancing.” he chuckled, running his hand down his chin to his neck. “The man wants to go dancing.” 

Bucky only nodded with a casual smile. 

Maybe it was just because it sounded like pure paradise compared to the day they’d just had but Sam found himself nodding back. Hell, Bucky deserved to go out and meet some people, didn’t he? “Yeah, alright man. Let’s go dancing, I guess.” He shrugged and started to bring himself to stand, though his legs still felt like jelly. 

“Ok, come on.” Bucky hopped off the truck-bed and held his right hand out into the air where it hovered above ground for a few seconds. The flesh of his palm was torn up and it eerily reminded Sam of the cuts or scraps he used to get all the time as a kid. Running too fast and tripping, breaking the fall with his hands against pavement. It gave him an odd sensation that life was coming full circle. A monumental space fight and you could come out on the other side with the same injury you had as an overexcited eight year old. 

He was overthinking all of this when Bucky gladly reached further and took his hand for him, pulling him gently and slowly off the truck-bed and it didn’t feel weird. Not in the way Sam would expect. In fact, it felt completely natural. 

Because that was the thing between them lately. Sure, they’d gone from enemies to tolerating each other before the snap. But after the snap...they’d come back with more than just a death date. They came back with a connection. Sam figured all those who’d gone were feeling some type of familial or shared trauma connection so he’d written it off. But he and Bucky just...moved differently these days.

Sam would kill to know what happened to them in The Soul Stone because nobody had any clue. But something. Something happened that caused him to accept normalcy in things like Bucky holding his hand or constantly looking at him like he just got done saving his life. And he guessed that Bucky did the same with the things he did in return. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were still holding hands when they strolled up to a club that Sam suggested. He’d long since accepted that Bucky wasn’t here to meet other people. It was hard to think that when the man gently squeezed his hand the entire walk there. And he squeezed right back because it was just something they did now. 

They swayed into the club and savored the nice warm air that fell over them. The music was loud and bouncy, the kind of pop stuff that Sam was used to hearing over and over but beside him, Bucky stiffened. He tugged on Sam’s arm gently and then grabbed at it with both of his hands so that he would turn to him. “What’s the matter?” 

“I don’t know how to dance to music like this.” Bucky rubbed his hand against the back of his neck and glanced around the place, eyes following the people dancing with wonder. Sam chuckled. 

“Just do what ya know, Bucky. Teach me some of that old stuff and maybe try not to break a hip.” He smiled.

Bucky’s face lit up before a proud looking smirk took over. He stepped back a touch and offered his hand one more time. “Watch what you ask for, Doll. We’re gonna go real slow...” He eyed the couples past them, that were hopping to the beat. “But you just follow me and keep your eyes locked right here, ok?” Bucky tipped Sam’s chin up so that their eyes met. 

Sam felt like he might turn into puddle. Sure, he got glimpses here and there of what Bucky might’ve been like before all...the trauma. 40′s Bucky. But he was never on the receiving end of such charm before. It was rare in his life but in that moment, Sam actually wanted to relinquish control and allow himself to be lead.

And so, they moved together. Bucky eased him into the steps and they took to the floor like a couple of idiots. The bouncy pop music blared in their ears but they danced like they were in a black & white movie. Delightfully slow and extremely close...Sam found himself wondering why people stopped dancing like this. “Can I spin ya, sweetheart?” 

‘God. This guy’s gonna kill me.’ Sam rolled his eyes but answered by simply allowing the turn and by the end of it, his body was right back up against Bucky’s.

“When did we become friends, man?” Sam found himself chuckling as he realized just how odd this whole situation was. Here he was, slow dancing with the Winter Soldier...with Bucky, they were both back from the dead basically, his best friends were gone in different ways and Cap’s shield was in the trunk of his car.

He tilted his head back and laughed before Bucky could even answer but he was delighted enough to just see pure joy within Sam again.

“Hmmmm....” Bucky drifted into thought, swaying them slowly and enjoyed the feeling of Sam nuzzling himself back into the crook of his neck. “I’d say somewhere in-between...” His voice sounded far off and sing-songy. “Trying to kill you and that stop at the gas station in that damn Volkswagen Beetle, remember?” Bucky giggled as the word spilled out of his mouth, sounding more like a mumbled ’memeber? instead of the full word. But it was nice to hear him so choked up on joy that he started to rush his sentences out. It meant that was excited to hear Sam’s reply. Bucky was slowly finding his way back to really enjoying long conversations again. 

Yeah. Sam definitely remembered that. He broke their dance position momentarily to gently lay his hand on the back of Bucky’s neck. “And what about this...?” He used his other hand to gesture between them which was difficult considering how close they were. 

“Just happened.” Bucky licked his lips and shrugged with the best answer he could come up with. 

“Just happened.” Sam repeated and briefly broke their eye contact to glance at the bar. His companion took the time to allow some of the worry he had fill his expression. He dragged his eyes over Sam’s expression and frowned. He took Sam’s hand off his neck and slowly lead him back to position. 

“So, how are you feeling...y’know about all this?” 

Sam hummed. “At the moment, not much-” 

“That’s a lie, if I ever heard one.” Bucky clicked his tongue and gave him an expectant look. 

“What about you?” Sam returned the question but Bucky only rolled his eyes. 

“I asked you first, Sam.” He squeezed his hand and their movements gained a tiny bit of speed. 

They were silent for a few seconds before Sam decided he could at least answer him. “Part of me is pissed.” He hated admitting it but...he did ask. Bucky nodded and guided him into the next steps. “Steve just..left us. Is that selfish of me to complain about?” 

“Slowly with me now, Doll.” Bucky glanced at their feet when Sam subconsciously started to speed up and guided him with his hand lightly on the small of his back. 

“I’m happy for him, really I am. He got what he always wanted but it’s bittersweet.” He shrugged and allowed his dance partner to direct him. “But what about you?” 

Bucky glanced up with his doe-eyes again and Sam felt himself lose a bit of air. “I mean, you and Steve....” He trailed off, not knowing how to go on about their history. “You were like brothers.” but maybe he did. 

Bucky faltered for the first time and nearly missed a step. “He’ll always be my brother. But Steve and I...” he swallowed. “We haven’t really been the same since the forties, man. I feel like we lost each other more than just a few times and this....” He paused. “Can’t say it doesn’t hurt. I feel like we barely had time to reconnect but I don’t know if it would’ve been what Steve wanted anyway.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, Steve remembers ‘Bucky’ in this specific way and I-” He stopped, looking as if he was willing himself to not get emotional. “I’m just not the same. Maybe I can get there again and maybe that’s why he invited me to go with him but-” 

“Hold up, he asked you to go with him?” Sam took a step back and let go of Bucky’s hand. 

He took no offense to this and instead softly re-approached as he began to answer. “He did. I knew what he was going to do-” Bucky nodded. 

“Why the hell didn’t you go with him?” 

Sam sounded so genuinely shocked that Bucky almost stepped back that time. He raised his brow and rubbed his thumb against Sam’s open palm. “I'd just end up being a man out of my time again.” He shrugged and continued before Sam could ask what he meant. “I...” He rolled his lips together and started letting his eyes wander the club again, absentmindedly playing with Sam’s hand. Their fingers interlocked and then loosely fell apart over and over, skin brushing together so lightly that it tingled. “I don’t belong there, not anymore. It’s nice to romanticize it sometimes but...” He looked a little pained as he spoke. “It’s far from the paradise that...-well, I just don’t see it the way Steve does.” 

Sam steadied their hands and firmly locked them again. 

“Wanna go for another spin, darlin’?” Bucky asked with a tiny curl of his lip and Sam let himself be turned again. When their eyes returned to each other, Sam could see something giddy about his partner’s next expression. He was looking at him with the some kind of...relief? “Back then, I knew that I could never live my life the way I wanted to. I had to come to terms with the fact that If I lived past the war, I might have to settle down with a dame even if that’s not what I wanted.” 

Sam felt like he hadn’t talked in ages but he was too busy hanging on each word. Bucky was opening up and that almost never happened. 

“I remember nights when I’d sit up in bed and think to myself, ‘I can’t do this’ and I would just wish to wake up in a world where I would be accepted...” Bucky suddenly wiped the sadness from his face and gestured vaguely into the air around them. “And wouldn’t you know it? In the most fucked up way possible, I sort of got that wish, huh? I know there’s still problems in this time too but...do you know how badly I just wanted to take a fella out dancing?-”

Bucky did a fancy little move and they swayed calmly about the floor. 

“So no, I didn’t wanna go with Steve.” Bucky shook his head. “He owed someone a dance but...” Bucky looked pensive and nearing shy as he subtly dipped Sam just the tiniest bit. “All my dances were waiting for me in a new time.” 

He couldn’t help himself. “Holy shit, that was smooth.” Sam blurted and Bucky rolled his eyes. “And I’m not sure I’ve ever heard you talk so much.” He gently bumped Bucky when the opportunity came. 

“Plus, I couldn’t leave my best guy behind.” He softly fumbled his hand out of his grip again to curl his finger under Sam’s chin and lift his gaze once more. 

“Fuck, man.” Sam felt the warm laughter bubble up from his stomach. “Are you aware of what you’re doing to me right now?” 

Bucky stepped back and Sam followed in-step. “Hey, I’m just...being myself.” He smiled, smug yet there was a fragile kind of insecurity there. Perhaps second guessing. “You wanna fall all over me because of it...I can’t very well stop ya, can I, Doll?” Bucky reeled Sam in even closer. 

“Ooooh, you’re such a player.” Sam clicked his tongue. “This how you made all those girls feel special back in the day?” He may not have found actual interest in them, but Steve had told Sam countless times that Bucky had been a major charmer with the girls. It came naturally. 

“Never knew I’d find someone who was as special as you are.” 

"Alright, knock it off.” Sam playfully smacked his arm and took in the sound of Bucky’s hysterical laughter. He meant it. Every damn word. And Sam felt that but that didn’t mean he couldn't make fun of him a little. “You sound like such an asshole.” 

They were too busy laughing their asses off to notice that they’d gained quite bit of attention. It would’ve been odd not to, considering they were slow dancing to every fast pop song the club dished out. 

The people around them watched with a mixture of amusement and confusion. 

“Let’s throw in a tune for those two dudes with the old souls in the corner, huh?” The owner chuckled as he came round the corner of the bar and cleared some of the empty glasses. He was sure they could spare three minutes for them. 

Bucky was in the middle of correcting Sam’s foot-work when he noticed the song fading in slowly and magically. In his excitement, he slapped Sam hard on the arm and pointed to the ceiling as if it were to thank for the song change. “I can actually dance to this song!” and he rushed to position them for a different kind of slow dance. Sam hoped he’d get to keep seeing his friend that happy because it was truly... 

“Unforgettable. That's what you are, Unforgettable. Tho' near or far....” 

“Best version of this song, by far.” Sam found himself taking the time to educate Bucky some more. “Nat King Cole...1952′, I believe was the year. Don’t quote me on that.” He enjoyed the way Bucky took his next breath against his neck and mumbled into it when he spoke. 

“I love it.” He nuzzled closer but did not let up on leading the dance. Sam wasn’t used to stepping down into this role but Bucky brought out that softer side in him, apparently. 

“That's why, darling, it's incredible  
That someone so unforgettable  
Thinks that I am  
Unforgettable, too...” 

“Take your time. Don’t rush the steps, Sweetheart.” Bucky mumbled against his skin but he really felt that he barely needed any guidance now. Sam was really taking to this dance. Bucky could genuinely just about float away, he’d never been in such peace before. 

“Shut-up, you know I’m the best dance partner that you’ve ever had.” Sam rolled his eyes and Bucky broke his own perfect positioning to crumble a bit with laughter. Legs turning to jelly as Sam had to bend his knees to support him. 

“You believe what you want to, Sam.” He chuckled and hooked his arms around Sam’s neck, moving from an actual dance style to pure scattered swaying while he held on tightly.

Sam figured he could do the same, holding him at the waist. Without warning, Bucky slowly glided his hands down to Sam’s cheeks and kissed him. Only pulling away to glance around the bar with that wide smile that was starting to appear a lot more often. 

“Damn. I don’t think I’ll get used to that.” Bucky narrowed his eyes and scrunched his eyes happily. 

“What?” 

“I just kissed you...in public!” Bucky tilted his head back to smile at the ceiling again. “I didn’t think that’d ever be possible in my lifetime. But here...” He sounded so incredibly relaxed and relieved. He pulled Sam in again and they kissed for a solid thirty seconds. “Nobody gave us a second look.” He trailed off with breathy laughter and it was the most adorable thing Sam had ever seen, though Bucky was thinking the same thing about Sam’s smile. 

He kissed him again.

and again.

and again. 

Sam eventually had to pull away and hope his laughter wasn’t offensive. But truly, Bucky was just being too purely cute for someone who used to be an assassin. 

“Sorry, sorry.” He laughed. “I just can’t believe it.” He shrugged and Sam guided Bucky away from the dance-floor just as their song faded away. 

“I’m gonna get us some drinks, sit tight.” Sam rolled his eyes playfully and left the man in a vacant booth. He took some passing glances back at him though because he knew all too well that the man was still not too comfortable in such public and social places alone. So Sam didn’t take his time, instead he took the drinks as quick as possible and set off once more. 

“Tell me more about how you feel.” Bucky didn’t even humor him by phrasing it as a question. 

“About you? Cause I tell ya buddy, just because we made-out that doesn't mean I’ll be all nice. I might bully you.” 

“You know what I mean, Sam.” Bucky kicked him from under the table and gave him a stern look. 

Sam kicked him right back but took a deep breath. “Honestly, I’m just tired. I thought we could just relax tonight. Wasn’t hoping to talk about all this shit yet.” He rubbed his palm down his face and took a drink. 

“That’s the point, yeah.” Bucky looked back at the dancers. “I thought we could just forget everything and dance but...” he got a mischievous look on his face, scrunching his nose again. “Somethin’ tells me that you wanna talk about it, no matter what you say. Plus, I know you’re killing yourself right now. Overthinking and all that jazz.” 

Sam couldn’t really argue that. “I miss my friends, man.” He shrugged. Simple as that. “And...that shield’s in my car.” He shook his head, sipping his drink again while Bucky stayed sternly silent. “Doesn’t feel like mine.” He tried to believe Steve when he insisted that it was his but...

“You earned it, Sam. Stop being such a drama queen.” He teased and Sam felt moment’s comfort. 

“I’m not stealing your job, don’t worry.” Sam rolled his eyes again and Bucky grinned, fully aware that he was the real drama queen in this friendship. “This is just a lot to take in. A whole new realm of responsibilities and image.” He tapped his hand against his glass. “Some people aren’t going to love that I’m the new Cap-”

“Does that scare you?” Bucky tilted his head. 

"Nah, I don’t really give a shit about that.” Sam laughed, shoulders shaking. “Objectively, I know I’ll be a damn fine Captain America.” He chuckled with a far off look and Bucky offered him a supportive smile as he tapped their glasses together. “It’s just a lot of change, you know?” He swallowed, trying not to think about all the new responsibilities on the horizon. 

“I’ll be with you the whole way, Sweetheart.” Bucky reached over the table and lightly slapped Sam’s cheek.

“You gonna join me on the superhero business?” Sam asked after shoving him away, genuinely curious. Bucky never really had a choice in the matter before, he always had to fight. 

The man stiffened for a few seconds, twirling his finger around his drink and suddenly missing ‘Unforgettable’ as another song blared. “We’ll have to see, won’t we?” 

“That’s ominous, Bucky.” 

He shrugged, looking incredibly antsy all of the sudden. Sam pushed his drink aside and laid his chin on his open palm, taking in a new breath of air that went straight to his head. “You done for the night?” He asked, feeling like he knew the answer. His friend suddenly grew quiet and that usually meant Bucky had closed in on himself. He could only handle so much from a social outing before he stopped finding joy or comfort in it. At least, that’s where he’d left off since Sam had last seen him before they all turned to dust five years ago. Though he assumed nothing changed. 

Bucky looked away from him and back to the dance-floor. “I don’t want to be but...” He shrugged. Finding it hard to translate whatever the hell he was feeling even if he knew Sam would understand. 

“No shame in deciding you’ve had enough.” Sam scooted from the booth and stuck out his hand. Bucky looked pleased with the gesture and gladly reached out for it, quickly hanging himself closer by clasping his metal hand over their grip as well. 

They strolled back outside, guided by the lovely choice in decoration the bar had. Which was just bunches of string-lights thrown into their bushes. They were tiny yellow toned bulbs that stuck out intensely between the green leaves and looked...cheesy. But it was nice. Sam pulled their grip closer to his chest and Bucky let himself be moved as their hands raised. 

They silently walked down the sidewalk towards the car which sat lonesome in the lot while moon-beams bounced off the hood. The moon hung above them and twinkled like the stars, neither of them felt the need to talk about what should be the topic of conversation. The night was too perfect for that. 

“- That's why, darling, it's incredible  
That someone so unforgettable  
Thinks that I am  
Unforgettable, too...”

“You’re a terrible singer, Sam.” He wasn’t. And it was painfully obvious by the way Bucky grinned. 

Sam kept at it until he graduated to a more leisure sort of whistle. He held a tune astoundingly well and it transcended into the night air. It only faltered when Bucky playfully shoved him off the curb. 

It had been a tough day, no question about that. But a wonderful night.


End file.
